Circular fluorescent lamp connector



1956 E. G. GAYNOR CIRCULAR FLUORESCENT LAMP CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 16,1963 Z Z Z r. fi 3% f J w m Lmkm Ma United States Patent 3,292,097CIRCULAR FLUORESCENT LAMP CONNECTOR Edwin G. Gaynor, Bridgeport, Conn.,assignor to Edwin S. Gaynor, Southport, Conn. Filed Dec. 16, 1963, Ser.No. 330,748 3 Claims. (Cl. 339-50) The present invention relates to afluorescent lamp connector and more particularly to a circuit connectorfora fluorescent tube which is formed in a circle with a socket joiningthe ends of the tube and providing a recess to receive the connector, ofthe general type shown by Nicolaro, Patent No. 2,802,191 dated August 6,1957.

In the fluorescent lamp industry, fluorescent tubes are generallyutilized in a straight longitudinal design for lamps and for ceilingfixtures in offices, etc. However, for special applications or estheticreasons, these tubes have been formed in a circle with the free endsjoined by a socket having a recess with four prongs into which aconnector or plug is inserted. A pair of prongs are required for thefilament of the heater starting circuit at each end of the fluorescenttube with two of the four prongs providing voltage across the filamentsat the ends of the tube once the fluorescent tube has been started toprovide current flow through the tube. The present invention deals withthe connector or plug from the fluorescent lamp circuit to the socket.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of a novelconnector to be utilized with a circular fluorescent lamp which is morecompact than prior known connectors thus reducing the cost and arearequired for the fixture assembly for the fluorescent tube.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of anovel connector having a one-piece body and a cap fitting into a recessin the body and holding the terminals for the connecting circuit leadsor wires in place. The sides of the terminals are outwardly flared totake up any stress placed on the terminals. There may be stress in usingthe connector and a stress in removing the connector as removal is aptto be accomplished by yanking or pulling on the leads emerging from theconnector.

A further important object of the present invention is the provision ofa simplified connector structure which may be easily and quicklyassembled with a minimum of parts. The connector includes a casing openat one end to recieve a cap, and having four spaced longitudinallyextending passages opening at the opposite end of the body to receivethe prongs of the socket. The terminal are inserted into the passages inthe casing, and the cap, having channels to receive the wires secured tothe terminals, holds the terminals in position in the body. There are noadditional insulating or separating members as required by prior knownconnectors. Furthermore, a single centrally disposed fastener holds theassembled connector together.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity,efliciency, economy and ease of assembly and installation, and suchfurther objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fullyappear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a circular fluorescent tube and socketwith the connector of the present invention received in the socket.

FIG. 2 is an exploded or disassembled side elevational view of theconnector and socket.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the socket utilized to connect theends of the fluorescent tube and supply the filaments thereof thereto.

3,292,097 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 ICC . or casing.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the connector body or casing withthe cap removed and showing the location of the terminals.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the casing with the cap removed.

FIG. 9 is a rear elevational view of the connector cap.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the cap.

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the cap.

FIG. 12 is an end elevational view of a terminal taken from theleft-hand end of FIG. 13.

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of a terminal.

Referring more particularly to the drawing in which .is shown anillustrative embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 discloses aconnector 10 located in a socket 11 for a circular fluorescent lamp 12.The socket 11 has opposed open ends 13 receiving the ends of thefluorescent tube and an inwardly opening recess 14 with four spacedprongs 15 extending therefrom. Each pair of prongs is connected to thecathode or filament 16 at one end of the tube to provide the currentflow to heat the cathodes during starting to initiate ionization of thegas in the tube and also provide the voltage potential between thecathodes once the lamp has been started.

The connector 10 includes a generally rounded or cylindrical body member17 having a shallow recess 18 (FIGS. 7 and 8) at one end with fourspaced longitudinally extending and generally parallel passages 19extending from the recess 18 to a terminus spaced inwardly a suitabledistance from the opposite or inner end of the member 17. Each passage19 is generally trapezoidal in cross section and is connected at itsterminus with a reduced generally cylindrical opening 21 in the innerend wall of the member, which opening is adapted and conformed toreceive a prong 15 of the socket.

Positioned in each passage 19 is a terminal 22 formed of an electricallyconductive material such as copper. Each such terminal (FIGS. 12 and 13)is divided into two approximately equal portions including a baseportion 23 extending the length of the terminal. A pair of convergingclamping arms 24 extend from the base 23 and are positioned at the endof the terminal adjacent an opening 21 (FIGS. 5 and 7) to aid inreceiving and frictionally holding and contacting the prongs 15 of thesocket. These prongs and openings are so spaced apart that the connectorwill only be received in the socket in one of two positions apart sothat the circuit leads are always properly connected to the fluorescenttube filaments. Spaced outwardly from the clamping arms 24 are a pair ofoutwardly flared or diverging arms 25 extending from the base and alongthe non-parallel sides of the trapezoidal cross section of the passage19. Each terminal ends or terminates substantially flush with the bottomof the recess 18.

A cap 26 (FIGS. 5, 9, 10 and 11) has an inner end portion 27 whichconformably fits Within the recess 18 of the body member 17 and anoutwardly tapered external end portion 28 which terminates in a reducedgenerally flat surface 29. Four longitudinally extending roundedindentations or channels 31 are formed in the sides of the cap toreceive the leads 32 from the circuit for the lamp. The insulation isstripped from the ends of the leads and each of the bare wires 33 issuitably secured, as by soldering, to the base 23 of its terminal 22between the arms 25. The arms 25 diverge outwardly so that their outerend edges contact and engage the inner end of the cap 26 and thusprevent axial movement of the terminals 22 within the body member 17.

The cap 26 includes a counterbored axially extending opening 34 (FIGS. 4and 11) therethrough which is aligned with an axial opening in the bodymember 17 to recieve a suitable screw or other securing means 35 securedanchoring the cap in the body member. The cap positively retains theterminals 22 in place in the passages 19 and, due to the outward flareof the arms or sides 25 of the terminals, takes up any stress put on theterminals. As theinner end portion 27 of the cap 26 is secured withinthe recess 18 in the body member 17 by the securing means 35, the innerface or base of this end portion 27 is positioned in contact with orclosely adjacent to the ends of the terminals 22 so that upon anylongitudinal movement of a terminal the arms 25 contact the cap 26 andthe cap takes up any stress placed upon the terminal.

It follows that when the connector is inserted in the recess 14 and theprongs enter the openings 21 and between the converging arms 24, anyfriction between the prongs and the terminals 22 will cause the arms 25of the terminals to move into abutting relation with the cap.Additionally, if the leads 32 are grasped and yanked to remove theconnector, again the arms 25 of the terminals abut the anchored cap andthe cap takes up any stress placed on the terminals.

From the above description it is thought that the construction andadvantages of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilledin the art. Various changes in detail may be made without departing fromthe spirit or losing the advantages of the invention.

Having disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. A circuit connector for a circular fluorescent lamp including asocket joining the ends of a fluorescent tube, said socket having pairsof projecting prongs with each pair connected to the ends of a filamentin the tube, comprising:

(a) a body member having a recess at one end thereof and a plurality ofopenings in the opposite end adapted to receive the prongs of thesocket,

v (b) a cap conformably recieved in said recess in the body member andsecured thereto and having two pairs of longitudinally extendinggenerally radially outwardly opening channels adapted to receive circuitleads for the fluorescent tube,

(c) said body member having longitudinally extending enlarged passagestherein between said recess and terminating at the openings in theopposite end of the body member,

(d) and a conductive terminal positioned in each of said passages witheach terminal including (e) an elongated longitudinally extending flatbase having parallel longitudinal edges,

(f) a pair of converging arms integral with and extending upward fromthe opposite longitudinal edges of the base adjacent one of the openingsin the body member and adapted to receive and frictionaliy engage theend of a prong projecting from the socket and entering said one opening,and

(g) a pair of diverging arms extending upward and outward from thelongitudinal edges of the base at the opposite end thereof adjacent saidrecess,

(h) each circuit lead being secured to the base of a terminal betweenthe diverging arms.

2. A connector as set forth in claim 1, in which the distance betweenthe outer ends of the diverging arms is greater than the cross sectionof a channel in the cap so that the cap in the recess abuts andrestrains longitudinal movement of the terminal in the body member.

3. A connector as set forth in claim 1, in which the openings in thebody member are smaller in cross section than the passages in the bodymember, and the width of the terminal.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,534,956 12/1950Pistcy et al 339- X 2,700,752 1/ 1955 Cataldo 339--20 X 2,709,792 5/1955Peters 339--l91 X 3,118,716 1/1964 Brellier 339217 X 3,212,047 10/1965McDonough 339217 X EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

ALFRED S. TRASK, Examiner.

1. A CIRCUIT CONNECTOR FOR A CIRCULAR FLUORESCENT LAMP INCLUDING ASOCKET JOINING THE ENDS OF A FLUORESCENT TUBE, SAID SOCKET HAVING PAIRSOF PROJECTING PRONGS WITH EACH PAIR CONNECTGED TO THE ENDS OF A FILAMENTIN THE TUBE, COMPRISING: (A) A BODY MEMBER HAVING A RECESS AT ONE ENDTHEREOF AND A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS IN THE OPPOSITE END ADAPTED TORECEIVE THE PRONGS OF THE SOCKET, (B) A CAP CONFORMABLY RECEIVED IN SAIDRECESS IN THE BODY MEMBER AND SECURED THERETO AND HAVING TWO PAIRS OFLONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GENERALLY RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OPENING CHANNELSADAPTED TO RECEIVE CIRCUIT LEADS FOR THE FLUORESCENT TUBE, (C) SAID BODYMEMBER HAVING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING ENLARGED PASSAGES THEREIN BETWEENSAID RECESS AND TERMINATING AT THE OPENINGS IN THE OPPOSITE END OF THEBODY MEMBER, (D) AND A CONDUCTIVE TERMINAL POSITIONED IN EACH OF SAIDPASSAGES WITH EACH TERMINAL INCLUDING (E) AN ELONGATED LONGITUDINALLYEXTENDING FLAT BASE HAVING PARALLEL LONGITUDINAL EDGES, (F) A PAIR OFCONVERGING ARMS INTEGRAL WITH AND EXTENDING UPWARD FROM THE OPPOSITELONGITUDINAL EDGES OF THE BASE ADJACENT ONE OF THE OPENINGS IN THE BODYMEMBER AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND FRICTIONALLY ENGAGE THE END OF A PRONGPROJECTING FROM THE SOCKET AND ENTERING SAID ONE OPENING, AND (G) A PAIROF DIVERGING ARMS EXTENDING UPWARD AND OUTWARD FROM THE LONGITUDINALEDGES OF THE BASE AT THE OPPOSITE END THEREOF ADJACENT SAID RECESS, (H)EACH CIRCUIT LEAD BEING SECURED TO THE BASE OF A TERMINAL BETWEEN THEDIVERGING ARMS.